US 2023/0146423 A1 · PULSE GENERATOR FOR VISCOUS FLUIDS

Abstract

A plugging tool includes an elongated inner housing allowing a first fluid to flow through a hollow interior of the inner housing, a retractable plunger positioned within the inner housing and operable to obstruct the flow of the first fluid into a discharge chamber and resume the flow of the first fluid into the discharge chamber based on a pressure exerted by the first fluid on the retractable plunger, and at least one pressure release valve (PRV) operable to open and release at least a portion of the first fluid from the inner housing based on a pressure exerted by the first fluid on the at least one PRV, wherein operation of the retractable plunger and the at least one PRV generates pulses of the first fluid used to deposit a sealing plug at a target interval of a wellbore.

Claims20

Dependent claims

A plugging tool comprising:

an elongated inner housing allowing a first fluid to flow through a hollow interior of the inner housing from an uphole end to a downhole end;
a retractable plunger positioned within the inner housing and operable to obstruct the flow of the first fluid into a discharge chamber and resume the flow of the first fluid into the discharge chamber based on a pressure exerted by the first fluid on the retractable plunger;
and
at least one pressure release valve (PRV) operable to open and release at least a portion of the first fluid from the inner housing based on a pressure exerted by the first fluid on the at least one PRV, wherein operation of the retractable plunger and the at least one PRV, while the first fluid is being pumped into the inner housing, generates pulses of the first fluid used to deposit a sealing plug at a target interval of a wellbore.

1 more element

A method for sealing a wellbore using a plugging tool, comprising:

pumping a first fluid into an inner housing of the plugging tool;
generating pulses of the first fluid by cycling through a plurality of operations comprising:
obstructing a flow of the first fluid into a discharge chamber by moving a plunger within the inner housing in a downhole direction when a pressure exerted by the first fluid on the plunger equals or exceeds a first threshold pressure;
releasing a portion of the first fluid from the inner housing by opening at least one pressure release valve (PRV) when the pressure exerted by the first fluid on the at least one PRV equals or exceeds a second pressure threshold;
resuming the flow of the first fluid into the discharge chamber by moving the plunger within the inner housing in an uphole direction when the pressure exerted by the first fluid on the plunger falls below the first threshold pressure;
and
blocking the first fluid from exiting the inner housing through the at least one PRV by closing the at least one PRV in response to the pressure exerted by the first fluid on the at least one PRV falling below the second pressure threshold.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Pulse generator for viscous fluids

Life of this patent

Pulse generator for viscous fluids

Life of this patent

Abstract

Claims20